1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic musical instrument of a drum type or a keyboard type that detects beats on pad members or depressions of keys to generate a signal indicative of the detected beats or depressions, for musical tones generation based on the signal.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, electronic musical instruments have been proposed in which portions of the instruments are caused to shine by light from light sources, such as LED""s. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-30983 discloses an electronic drum including light transmitters (light transmitting devices) arranged at pad frames forming the peripheries of respective pads, and light sources, such as LED""s, arranged substantially in contact with the respective light transmitters, to thereby cause the pad frames to shine.
Further, a type of electronic keyboard is known which includes keys formed of a light-transmissive material, and electronic sources arranged below the keys to illuminate corresponding ones of the keys from below, or arranged in the vicinity of root portions of the keys to illuminate top surfaces of the corresponding keys from rear, to thereby cause the keys to shine.
In these electronic musical instruments, the light sources are selectively caused to emit light according to the performance of a musical piece, or in response to light emission-instructing signals indicating pads to be beaten or keys to be depressed for performance practice.
In the conventional electronic drum, however, to cause the whole pad frame to shine, a plurality of light sources have to be provided, which complicates the construction of the drum and results in an increased manufacturing cost. Further, due to provision of a large number of light sources at locations close to the pads to be beaten, the drum is prone to failure and is degraded in durability.
On the other hand, in the conventional electronic keyboard, even if the manner of illumination of each key is varied by changing the location, orientation, color, or the like of a light source arranged for the key, the key shines in a generally uniform manner, and it is difficult to freely configure or design a manner of lighting of the key for visual recognition. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the freedom of configuration of the manner of lighting e.g. for providing more ornamental lighting.
Further, a technique is also known in which a key is caused to shine such that light appears to be emitted from the key itself. In this technique, however, a considerable intensity of light is required even for causing one key to shine, and to cause shining of ten or more keys (e.g. a total of ten or more keys as a sum total of keys to shine according to instructions for depression by automatic accompaniment performance and keys to shine by erroneous depressions thereof which do not conform to the instructions for depression), the electric power required for this purpose and also for a main circuit of the electronic musical instrument can cause an electrically overloaded status of the instrument. This brings about a drop in the power supply voltage, causing interruption of musical tones and other malfunctions. If the electronic musical instrument is of a battery-powered type, a drastic power consumption of the battery can be caused in addition to the above inconveniences.
Moreover, in the above-described conventional electronic drum, the provision of light transmitters needs fixing the light transmitters to a case, and this can be done e.g. by providing a protruding portion on one of each light transmitter and the casing, and a recessed portion in the other of the two, and fitting the protruding portion in the recessed portion. However, due to an inevitable manufacturing error and a tolerance for assemblage, a considerable gap can be formed between the fitted portions of the two. Further, each light transmitter is an optically light transmissive member, and therefore, the light transmitter is different in material from the casing, so that the above gap varies with the temperature. Therefore, when the instrument is in use, so-called xe2x80x9crattlingxe2x80x9d may be produced which is a mechanical noise occurring due to the presence of the gap when a pad member is beaten.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an electronic musical instrument which can cause the whole peripheral area of each pad member to shine by a simple construction, and at the same time maintain durability and low costs, as well as a shining method for the electronic musical instrument.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide an electronic musical instrument which can cause individual keys to shine in desired fashions, by a simple construction, and in particular, to provide an electronic musical instrument realized as an electronic keyboard which is capable of causing part of each key to shine with a low power, and preventing the part from being in shadow of fingers during performance, with efficiency.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an electronic musical instrument which is capable of causing the whole peripheral area of each pad member to shine while preventing rattling from being caused by a beat on the pad member.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a shining method for an electronic musical instrument, which is capable of causing an operating member to shine in desired fashions by a simple construction.
To attain the first object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic musical instrument of a drum type, comprising at least one pad member that has at least one surface to be beaten, at least one detecting device that detects beats on the surface to be beaten of the at least one pad member, a musical tone signal-generating section that generates a musical tone signal in response to an output from the at least one detecting device, a light transmitter in a linear form arranged along a periphery of the pad member, the light transmitter having one end, another end, and an exposed surface, part of the exposed surface being roughened to provide a light-emitting surface, and a light source arranged in the vicinity of the one end of the light transmitter, for emitting light toward the one end, wherein the light transmitter guides the light emitted from the light source and entering the light transmitter via the one end, by utilizing principles of light propagation of an optical fiber, toward the other end, and at the same time causes at least part of the light entering via the one end to emit out of the light transmitter.
With the above construction, when the light source emits light, the light enters one end of the light transmitter. The light entering the light transmitter is guided toward to the other end of the light transmitter due to principles of light propagation of an optical fiber. Part of the exposed surface of the light transmitter is in a roughened form to provide a light-emitting surface, and part of the light entering via the one end is irregularly reflected or diffused at the light-emitting surface to emit light therefrom so as to be visually recognized. As a result, the whole peripheral area of the pad member can be caused to shine by a simple construction. Further, the light-emitting function of this electronic musical instrument can be realized by a small number of LED""s or the like, and therefore, it provides the advantageous features of low manufacturing costs, excellent durability, and less proneness to failure. Thus, according to the first aspect of the invention, it is possible to cause the whole peripheral area of the pad member to shine by a simple construction, while maintaining durability and low manufacturing costs.
Preferably, the light transmitter has a substantially annular shape having an outer periphery, part of which has a cutout formed therein to provide the one end and the other end, the light source being arranged in the cutout in a manner being interposed between the one end and the another end.
According to this preferred embodiment, the light transmitter has a substantially annular shape having an outer periphery, part of which has a cutout formed therein. Therefore, the light entering the light transmitter via the one end thereof is guided along the peripheral area of the pad member to the other end, whereby the peripheral area of the pad member is caused to shine approximately in an annular form. Thus, the peripheral area of the pad member can be caused to shine approximately in an annular form by a minimum number of light source, and the instrument can be simplified in construction.
Preferably, the light transmitter has at least part of a surface opposite to the light-emitting surface thereof formed with wavy serrations such that the surface opposite to the light-emitting surface is wavy in cross section along a length of the light transmitter.
According to this preferred embodiment, part of the light is reflected from the surface formed with wavy serrations and is directed toward the light-emitting surface, so that the amount of light emitted out of the light transmitter from the light-emitting surface is increased. This increases intensity of emitted light, resulting in an increased ease of visual recognition of the light.
To attain the second object, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical instrument of a keyboard type comprising at least one key formed of a light transmissive member, the at least one key having a distal end and a proximal end, part of the key being roughened to provide a diffusing surface, at least one detecting device arranged for the at least one key, for detecting a key depressing operation applied to the at least one key, a musical tone signal-generating section that generates a musical tone signal in response to an output from the at least one detecting device, and a light source arranged in the vicinity of the proximal end of the key, for emitting light toward the root portion, the key being configured such that light emitted from the light source and entering the light transmitter via the proximal end is guided by utilizing principles of light propagation of an optical fiber, toward the distal end, and at least part of the light entering via the proximal end is diffused at the diffusing surface so as to be visually recognized from outside of the light transmitter.
According to this electronic musical instrument, when a light source emits light, the light enters a key associated therewith and formed of a light transmissive member via the proximal end thereof. The light entered is guided by principles of light propagation of an optical fiber toward the distal end of the key. Part of the key is in a roughened form to provide a diffusing surface, and at least part of the light entering the key via the proximal end is diffused at the diffusing surface so as to be visually recognized from the outside. This makes it possible to cause a desired portion of a key to shine by a simple construction. Moreover, the location of a light-emitting portion (lighted portion) and the manner of visual recognition can be feely set by changing the location and manner of provision of the diffusing surface, which enhances the degree of freedom of the design, and makes it easy to cause ornamental light emission. Further, owing to the enhanced efficiency of light emission, economy of power consumption can be attained. Thus, each key of the instrument can be caused to shine in a desired manner by a simple construction.
Preferably, the key has a top surface, and the light entering the at least one key is visually recognized due to at least one of phenomena of the light directly leaking via the diffusing surface after being diffused at the diffusing surface, and the light leaking via the top surface of the key after being diffused at the diffusing surface and transmitting through an interior of the key.
According to this preferred embodiment, if surfaces viewable from outside, such as side surfaces of a key, are formed as diffusing surfaces, the light entering the key directly leaks from the side surfaces, and at the same time leaks via the top surface of the key after transmitting through the interior of the transparent key. Further, if part of the bottom surface of the key (e.g. bottom surfaces of portions along the sides in the direction of length of the key) or a bottom surface of a lower end of the key are formed as the diffusing surfaces, the light entered transmits through the interior of the key and leaks out via the top surface of the key, causing the top surface to shine. In this case, a display for instructing depression of a key is prevented from being hidden by fingers of the player. Thus, the manner of visual recognition of the light can be varied depending on the location at which the diffusing surface is provided, whereby the optimum manner of the light emission can be set in a manner adapted to the type of the electronic musical instrument.
Preferably, the diffusing surface has a bottom surface facing downward, at least part of which is formed with wavy serrations such that the bottom surface is wavy in cross section along a length of the key.
According to this preferred embodiment, part of the light is reflected from the surface formed with wavy serrations and is directed upward, thereby increasing the amount of light emitted outward from the top of the key depression surface of the keys. This makes it possible to increase the amount of emitted light, thereby making it easier to visually recognize the light.
To attain the third object, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical instrument of a drum type comprising at least one pad member that has at least one surface to be beaten, at least one detecting device that detects beats on the at least one surface to be beaten of the at least one pad member, a musical tone signal-generating section that generates a musical tone signal in response to an output from the at least one detecting device, a case, a light transmitter arranged along a periphery of the pad member, a light source that emits light toward the light transmitter, a light transmitter holder for holding the light transmitter fixedly with respect to the case, and a tape material, the light transmitter being press-fitted in the light transmitter holder via the tape material and held therein.
According to this electronic musical instrument, the light transmitter is press-fitted in the light transmitter holder via the tape material to be held therein, whereby the light transmitter is fixedly held with respect to the case. The tape material fills the gap between the light transmitter and the light transmitter holder, so that the vibrations caused by beats on the pad member are absorbed by the tape material, whereby mechanical noise such as xe2x80x9crattlingxe2x80x9d can be prevented. Thus, it is possible to cause the whole peripheral area of the pad member to shine while preventing the rattling from being caused by beats on the pad member.
To attain the first object, according to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical instrument of a drum type comprising at least one pad member that has at least one surface to be beaten, at least one detecting device that detects beats on the at least one surface to be beaten of the at least one pad member, a musical tone signal-generating section that generates a musical tone signal in response to an output from the at least one detecting device, a case, a light transmitter arranged substantially along a whole periphery of the pad member, the light transmitter having a surface, a light source that is configured to be sufficiently smaller than the light transmitter, and emits light toward the light transmitter, and a holder that holds the pad member and the light transmitter fixedly with respect to the case, wherein at least part of the light emitted from the light source and transmitted through the light transmitter is visually recognized by being emitted out from the surface of the light transmitter.
According to this electronic musical instrument, the light emitted from the light source is visually recognized by being transmitted through the light transmitter, and emitted out from the surface of the light transmitter. Since the light transmitter is arranged substantially along a whole periphery of the pad member, it is possible to cause the whole periphery of the pad member to shine. Further, since the light source is configured to be sufficiently smaller than the light transmitter, the size of the instrument can be reduced, and what is more, the light source can be easily implemented by a small number of LED""s, which ensures low manufacturing costs, durability, and reduced liability to failure. In short, it is possible to cause the whole periphery of the pad member to shine by a simple construction, while maintaining durability and low manufacturing costs.
To attain the first object, according to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical instrument of a drum type comprising at least one pad member that has at least one surface to be beaten, at least one detecting device that detects beats on the at least one surface to be beaten of the at least one pad member, a musical tone signal-generating section that generates a musical tone signal in response to an output from the at least one detecting device, a case, a light transmitter arranged along a periphery of the pad member, a light source that emits light toward the light transmitter, and a holder that holds the pad member and the light transmitter fixedly with respect to the case, wherein the light source is arranged at a location substantially below the pad member.
According to this electronic musical instrument, the light source emits light toward the light transmitter, and leakage of at least part of the light out of the light transmitter causes the periphery of the pad member to be visually recognized as shining. The light source is arranged at a location substantially below the pad member, which reduces the possibility of the light source being beaten by accident when the pad member is beaten, thereby making the electronic musical instrument less liable to failure. Further, if the light source is implemented by a small number of LED""s, this ensures low manufacturing costs and excellent durability. Therefore, it is possible to cause the whole periphery of the pad member by a simple construction, while maintaining durability and low manufacturing costs.
To attain the fourth object, according to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a shining method for an electronic musical instrument of a drum type, including at least one operating member at least part of which is formed by a light transmitter, the at least one operating member having one end, another end, a surface to be beaten, and a diffusing surface that is roughened, the electronic musical instrument detecting a beat on the surface to be beaten, and generating a musical tone signal in response to an output indicative of the detection, the method comprising the steps of causing light from a light source to enter the at least one operating member via the one end, and guiding the light entering the operating member via the one end toward the other end by utilizing principles of light propagation of an optical fiber, and causing at least part of the light entering the operating member via the one end to be diffused at the diffusing surface so as to be visually recognized from outside, wherein the light source is arranged in the vicinity of the one end of the operating member.
According to this shining method, light emitted from a light source enters the operating member via one end of thereof, and the light entering the operating member is guided toward the other end by utilizing principles of light propagation of an optical fiber, and at least part of the light entering the operating member via the one end is diffused at the diffusing surface so as to be visually recognized from outside. Therefore, it is possible to cause the operating member to shine in desired fashions.
To attain the first object, according to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a shining method for an electronic musical instrument of a drum type including a pad member, the pad member having a surface to be beaten, the electronic musical instrument detecting a beat on the surface to be beaten of the pad member, and generating a musical tone signal in response to an output indicative of the detection, the method comprising the steps of causing light to be emitted from a light source toward a light transmitter arranged substantially along a whole periphery of the pad member, causing the light emitted from the light transmitter to enter the light transmitter, and causing at least part of the light entering the light transmitter to be emitted out from the surface of the light transmitter so as to be visually recognized from outside, wherein the light source is configured to be sufficiently smaller than the light transmitter.
According to this method, the light emitted from the light source enters the light transmitter, and at least part of the light emitted from the light source is visually recognized by being transmitted through the light transmitter and emitted out from the surface of the light transmitter. The light transmitter is arranged substantially along the whole periphery the pad member, and the light source is configured to be sufficiently smaller than the light transmitter. This makes it possible to cause the whole periphery of the pad member to shine by a simple construction, while maintaining durability and low manufacturing costs.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.